I’m really interested in the idea of wrestling with this predicament that we’re in where we love nature, we understand it so much better, and we’re losing it all at the same time.”[2] Bird Symphony is a four-movement orchestral work with a duration of approximately twenty-four minutes.
The meticulousness and elegance of his writing, and there’s a very profound expression that’s kind of under the surface.” [2] Like Respighi in his Pines of Rome, the second movement utilizes a recording of a birdsong with which the orchestra interacts.
Sierra states, “We are living with the legacy of Victorian ornithologists who are all men and didn’t think the female birds sang.
Sierra states, “I imagined this kind of menacing birdsong turning into this absolutely terrifying raptor dinosaur idea.
It’s a sort or primitive, rhythmic, growing sort of terrifying transformation.”[2] Bird Symphony calls for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes and English horn, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, percussion (three players: vibraphone, xylophone, clash cymbals, marimba, tam tam, suspended cymbal, triangle, ratchet, claves, gourd, low flat gong, cow bell, castanets, wood block, snare drum, tambourine, bass drum), timpani, harp, piano, and strings About Bird Symphony, conductor Thierry Fischer stated, "everything is suggested; it’s not a statement.
This aspect of both the suggestive and what’s behind it is, to me as a French impressionist conductor, absolutely thrilling and super motivating.” [2] As part of his review of the world premiere, Rick Mortenson described Bird Symphony as "something new, ecstatic, and far from its avian inspiration.
The finale “Utahraptor” created an infectious rhythm that took the audience on a primordial journey from birdsong to whatever noise its dinosaur ancestor might have made.